Leave a Comment · Posted on January 8, 2021
One of things we love to do the most at Hive is reach out and work with great partners. THrough 2020 Hive’s own Nik Perring has been enjoying the role of Writer-in-Residence for Sheffield Libraries’ Year of Reading.
We had many activities planned to work with young people in Sheffield for this exciting programme of events but, like for everyone else, we’ve had to adapt what we’ve been able to deliver. Sometimes that’s meant rescheduling things, other times we’ve been able to move into something digital. While that was a little scary and unknown, it’s something we’ve embraced and something that’s been very fruitful. It’s certainly shown us that we’ll definitely be doing more online delivery in future.
Digitally, Nik ran many workshops for young people, from schools to community groups – including masterclasses; writing for competitions; adventuring into writing for the libraries’ Adventure Festival, and looking at how to be a professional writer. There was reflection and roleplay, rules and rebellion.
We’re also worked on two publications with the Children in Care Council, The Can in Can’t, and an end of year intergenerational project, Dear 2021, in association with the BBC’s Novels that Changed the World.
Nik says, ‘The coolest thing about these workshops was the opportunity to work with young writers new to the network. It’s great showing them what they can do with the talents they already have, as well as what the Library Service and Hive can offer them.’
We were thrilled with how the sessions and projects went and it was wonderful to see so many new faces who were able to attend including those living a little further afield.
Stay tuned to see what’s coming up, and visit the Sheffield Libraries’ page here
“I genuinely enjoyed how there was different exercises to look at different things and I also liked how I was introduced to new pieces of writing. I also never thought about using images as inspiration which is something I will be doing from now on.”
“I really enjoyed the variety of different prompts in this workshop and the feedback given was great.”
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Hive have been delighted to support Sheffield Library’s Year of Reading 2020 as part of its young people’s strand of activity including the Hive New Writer Prize – for 14-19 years and part of the Love Sheffield Writing competition.
Sheffield Year of Reading 2020 is a 12 month, citywide celebration of creativity and the written word. Reading is the key that unlocks the door to life’s riches. It helps us feel better, discover more, and unleash our individual creativity.
This year people from across our city came together in libraries, schools, museums, parks, and then a lot of living rooms and bedrooms, to share the simple joy of words. It was literary and silly, it was big and small, it was on the page and in our computer speakers.
More on Sheffield Year of Reading
Leave a Comment · Posted on January 5, 2021
How can philosophical enquiry lead to creativity, and particularly, new writing ideas and approaches?
Join us for a practical workshop with writer and facilitator, Rosie Carnall, who will encourage you to try out philosophical techniques, sparked by creative writing, to open up new channels for your own writing.
If you like writing and know nothing about philosophy but are curious, this is a workshop for you!
FREE
When: Wed 20th Jan 5 to 7pm | Zoom
Who for: aged 14 to 19 & we also hope to do something for 19-30s at a later date so do get in touch if that’s you!
Booking: info@hivesouthyorkshire.com
Rosie Carnall is a creative facilitator, based in Sheffield, who uses Philosophy for Communities with people of all ages to get them thinking, talking and writing creatively. Rosie has an MA in Creative Writing from Sheffield Hallam University and a novel in progress. She’s also a Creative Mentor with children’s literary charity, Grimm & Co.
Leave a Comment · Posted on December 17, 2020
We’re delighted to be holding a copy of… Dear 2021! – The Start of It, a Sheffield Year of Reading Project (Sheffield Library Service) in association with the BBC’s Novels That Shaped Our World and Hive South Yorkshire.
We’ve so enjoyed being part of this wonderful project and are proud to have supported the involvement of many young writers and voices. Through poems, letters, stories (even an email to a house plant!) this little book documents a key time in collective human history, a record of our hopes, dreams and wishes for the year ahead, and some reflection on the one we’ve just endured.
The book is a limited edition but will be available for a short period through Sheffield Library Service and available as an archive and for reading at local libraries (more info to follow)
Foreword by Nik Perring
2020 has been the strangest of years. For some, it’s brought space and peace, for others it’s been rubbish. And then, there are those for whom it’s been the worst imaginable. Whatever our experience, we all have a story within it, and people will look back on this time, as with all great crises past – wars, disasters, epidemics, and such, and ask: What was it really like to live through it?
Just as we read Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, in part, to see what life was like in the 1840s, this collection is something to be kept: a record, a time capsule of words, if you will, of 2020. And, like Scrooge on that fateful Christmas night, we’ve taken the opportunity to look both backwards at the year, and forwards in our hopes and wishes for the unknown one ahead.
I’m incredibly proud of this document – a representation of forty-four good people of Sheffield, and beyond. This year has given me, and Sheffield Library Service, the chance to reach new people, to give them a voice and, through this and the videos broadcast as part of this project, perhaps the most important thing of all – an audience.
Nik Perring
Writer in Residence
With thanks to: All at Sheffield Library Service’s Year of Reading; Libraries Connected; The Arts Council; the BBC’s Novels that Shaped Our World; Alexis Filby, Steven Johnson, Helen Fidler, Nick Partridge, Alex Holyoake, Nik Perring, Vicky Morris and all who took part.
Facilitation & Editing: Nik Perring & Vicky Morris
Collation and design: Vicky Morris
Cover illustration: Steven Johnson
(based on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens)
The End of It is the title of the last chapter of A Christmas Carol.
The Start of It refers to us, and this coming year.
More about Sheffield Year of Reading here
Leave a Comment · Posted on November 16, 2020
Many of us will be haunted by the ghosts of 2020 – the strangest of years. We’re giving you the opportunity, the voice, and the audience to put them to bed.
Letters to 2021 takes the spirit of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and challenges you to exorcise the ghosts of 2020 by writing a letter to Donald Trump, the universe, Santa, the future – to someone or everyone, telling us what you want to change and the whys and hows.
In several related workshops Sheffield Year of Reading Writer in Residence Nik Perring, will show you the best ways of making your ideas, and desires, into brilliant poems, letters, or stories – and then he’ll show you how to shape them into pieces good enough to send up the chimney/out to the world.
A selection of the finished pieces will be collated into a special book and recorded to be broadcast via Sheffield Library Service’s Digital platform.
All levels of experience are welcome – we WANT YOUR WORDS!
FREE! | Open to young people 14 to 19
Email: nikperring@hivesouthyorkshire.com to book
Workshops will take place on Crowdcast / Camera not needed
Workshops 5 to 7pm Tuesday 24th November, and Wednesday 2nd December
……….
Hive are delighted to be supporting Sheffield Library’s Year of Reading 2020 as part of its young people’s strand of activity.
Sheffield Year of Reading 2020 is a 12 month, citywide celebration of creativity and the written word. Reading is the key that unlocks the door to life’s riches. It helps us feel better, discover more, and unleash our individual creativity.
This year people from across our city will come together in libraries, pubs, schools, living rooms, museums, parks, and many other venues to share the simple joy of words. It will be literary and silly, it will be big and small, it will be on the page and in the streets. In fact, it can be whatever you want it to be. There are lots of ways you can get involved, no matter what your experience or ability is.
More on Sheffield Year of Reading
Leave a Comment · Posted on October 28, 2020
In collaboration with REMA and Rotherham Diversity Festvial, to celebrate Black History Month, we’ve a real treat for you! The Young, Gifted & Black podcast showcases the voices of up and coming local young poets of African heritage, spanning: Haiti, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Jamaica and Zimbabwe. They are: Taina Maneus, Verta Lune, Danae Wellington, Sile Sibanda and Warda Yassin.
Note: Difficult and possibly triggering subjects covered in this podcast.
REMA is the infrastructure support organisation for the Black and Minority Ethnic Voluntary and Community Sector of Rotherham.
Hosted by: Dominic Heslop – The One Devotion
Danae Wellington (00:20)
Lessons from Mama | Halfway Smile | Last Days with Maria
Taina Maneus (07:36)
Oh Freedom | 9pm Stroll, Riverside | The Last Africans
Sile Sibanda (12.27)
I Wanna Be | Behold | Arms of Love
Verta Lune (18.15)
Remembering | The Cuts | My People
Warda Yassin (25:20)
Searching for my Father’s Tree | Stories of Boys and Men | Cavendish Count
Music: Sometimes by Frequency Decree
To Be Young, Gifted and Black is a song by Nina Simone with lyrics by Weldon Irvine. It’s had many covers over the years including Aretha Franklin and this legendary one by Bod and Marica